Clamping device for electrical conductors



May 29, 1962 M. BETHEA, JR CLAMPING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORSINVENTOR Mar/calm Bet hea I; BY M,M YM

Rttome ys United States Patent 3,037,184 CLAMPING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICALCONDUCTORS Malcolm Bethea, Jr., P.0. Box 1407, Birmingham, Ala. FiledAug. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 834,212 6 Claims. (Cl. 339-265) This inventionrelates to a clamping device for electrical conductors and moreparticularly to a clamping device for connecting to an electricalconductor after the ends of the conductor have been attached to asuitable supporting structure, thereby eliminating the necessity ofcutting the electrical conductor in order to attach the clamping devicethereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide a clamping device forconnecting to an electrical conductor in which the device may bedisassembled before attachment to or removal from an electricalconductor without the component parts of the device being separated fromeach other, thereby facilitating installation of the device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a clamping device forconnecting to an electrical conductor of the character designated whichshall include clamping jaws and a pivoted clamping member carried by oneclamping jaw adapted to be connected releasably to another clamping jaw,whereby a conductor or conductors may be inserted between the clampingjaws.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a clamping devicefor connecting to an electrical conductor of the character designatedwhich shall be simple of construction, economical of manufacture and onewhich may be assembled and disassembled by unskilled labor in a minimumof time.

Clamping devices embodying features of my invention are illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the clamping device, the conductor being shownbroken away and in section;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view taken generally along the line 22 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmental view, partly broken away and in section showingthe outwardly flaring side wall of the openings for receiving one of theU-shaped clamping members;

FIG. 5 is a fragmental view, partly broken away and in section, showinga leg of the U-shaped clamping member moved to tilted position againstthe outwardly flaring side wall of the opening for receiving the leg;and,

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view, the conductor being in section,showing a modified form of clamping device in which the intermediateclamping jaw is eliminated.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention,I show clamping jaws 10 and 11 having elongated grooves 12 and 13 alongthe inner faces thereof for receiving the adjacent portions ofelectrical conductors 14. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the clamping jaw 11is provided with spaced apart openings 16 for receivingthe leg members17 of a generally U-shaped clamping member 18. The end portions of theleg members 17 are threaded as at 19 for receiving retaining nuts 21. Asshown in FIG. 3, suitable recesses 22 may be provided in the outersurface of the clamping jaw 11 for receiving resilient, cup-shapedwashers 23. However, my improved clamping device is also adapted foroperation without the resilient washers 23.

The base 24 of the U-sha-ped clamping member 18 is formed of a resilientmaterial and encircles the clamping jaw 10 adjacent one side thereof, asshown in FIG. 2. The U-shaped clamping member 18 is hingedly connectedto the clamping jaw 10 by an inwardly curved flange ice member 26carried by the clamping jaw 10 which encircles the base 24 of theU-shaped clamping member 18.

The outer surface of the clamping member 10 is curved, as shown in FIG.3 to provide a curved seat 27 which is disposed to engage the innersurface of the resilient base 24 of the U-shaped clamping member 18. Thebase portion 24 of the U-shaped clamping member assumes the dotted lineposition, as shown in FIG. 3, when the clamping member 18 is firstpositioned adjacent the clamping jaw 10. However, upon tightening theretaining nuts 21, the resilient base portion 24 moves to the solid lineposition, as shown in FIG. 3, thereby urging the clamping jaws 10 and 11toward each other.

Spaced apart openings 28 are provided adjacent opposite ends of theclamping jaw 11 directly opposite the openings 16 for receiving legportions 29 of a U-shaped clamping member 31 having a base portion 32which encircles the side of the clamping jaw 10 opposite the U-shapedclamping member 18, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. The ends of the legportions 29 are threaded as at 33 for receiving retaining nuts 34- Whichurge the base portion 32 into engagement with the adjacent surface ofthe clamping jaw 10 upon tightening the nuts 34. The outer surface ofthe clamping jaw 10 is curved to provide a curved seat 27 for receivingthe base portion 32 in the identical manner as the curved seat 27 shownin FIG. 3 receives the base portion 24 of the U-shaped clamping member18.

As shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the outer side of each of the openings 23in the clamping jaw 11 flares out wardly toward the inner surface of theclamping jaw 11 as at 36, whereby the U-shaped clam-ping member 31 isadapted to move out of engagement with the clamping jaw 10 uponloosening the nuts 34. That is, upon loosening the nuts 34, the U-shapedclamping member 31 is adapted to move to the tilted position, as shownin FIG. 5. After the U-shaped clamping member 31 is moved out ofengagement with the clamping member 10, the clamping member 10 may bepivoted about the base portion 24 of the U-shaped clamping member 18,whereupon the conductors 14 may be inserted into or removed from theclamp.

Where two conductors 14 are being clamped in spaced relation to eachother, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, an intermediate or third clampingjaw 37 is mounted between the clamping jaws 10 and 11. The clamping jaw37 has elongated grooves 38 and 39 adjacent opposite sides thereof, thegroove 38 being in faced relation to groove 12 and the groove 39 beingin faced relation to groove 13. That is, a conductor 14 is adapted to beclamped between the clamping jaw 10 and the clamping jaw 37 while asecond conductor 14 is adapted to be clamped between the clamping jaw 37and the clamping jaw 11, as clearly shown in FIG. 2.

To prevent separation of the clamping jaw '37 from the U-shaped clampingmember 18 upon release of the U-shaped clamping member 31 from theclamping jaw 10, loop members 41 are provided at the side of theclamping jaw 37 adjacent the U-shaped clamping member 18 in position toencircle the leg portions 17 thereof. To maintain the side of theclamping jaw 37 opposite the loop members 41 in alignment with theU-shaped clamping member 31, outwardly extending detents 42 are providedon the clamping jaw 37 in position to engage opposite sides of each ofthe leg portions 29 of the U- shaped clamping member 31.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improved clampingdevice shown in FIGS. 1-5 will be readily understood. The clamping jaw10 is hingedly connected to the base 24 of the U-s'haped clamping member18 by the inturned flange 26 and the intermediate clamping jaw 37 isslidably connected to the leg portions 17 of the U-shaped clampingmember 18 by the loop members 41. The clamping jaw 11 having spacedapart openings 16 therethrough for receiving the leg portions 17 of theU-shaped clamping member 18 is held in assembled relationship with theclamping member 18 by the retaining nuts 21. The leg portions 29 of theU- shaped clamping member 31 extend through the openings 28 provided inthe clamping jaw 11, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, and is held inassembled relationship relative thereto by the retaining nuts 34. Thedetents 42 carried by the intermediate clamping member 37 engageopposite sides of the leg portions 29 of the clamping member 31 wherebythe clamping jaw 37 is held in proper alignment with the clamping member31. In view of the fact that the outer sides 36 of the openings 28 flareoutwardly toward the inner surface of the clamping jaw 11, the clampingmember 31 is adapted to move to the tilted position shown in FIG. 5,upon loosening the retaining nuts 34. In other words, upon loosening theretaining nuts 34, the base 32 of the clamping member 31 moves out ofengagement with the adjacent side of the clamping jaw whereby it isreleased therefrom. With the U-shaped clamping member 31 moved to thetilted position, as shown in FIG. 5, the clamping jaw 10 is free to moveabout its hinge connection to the U- shaped clamping member 18, therebyproviding easy insertion of the conductors 14 into the clamp or removalof the conductors from the clamp.

In FIG. 6 of the drawing, I show a modified form of clamping device inwhich the intermediate clamping member is eliminated. The clampingdevice comprises a clamping jaw 1i hingedly connected to the base 24 ofa U-shaped clamping member 18 by an inturned flange 26 The legs 17 of aclamping member 18 extend through spaced apart openings 16 carried by asecond clamping member 11. The leg portions 17 of the clamping members18 are provided with threads 19 for receiving suitable retaining nuts21.

Encircling the opposite side of the clamping jaw 10* from the clampingmember 18 is a U-shaped clamping member 31" having a base portion 32 andleg portions 29. Suitable threads 33 are provided on the leg portions 29for receiving retaining nuts 34. Spaced apart openings 28 are providedin the side of the clamping jaw 11*- opposite the openings 16 forreceiving the leg portions 29 of the clamping member 31 The outer sideof each of the openings 28 flares outwardly toward the inner surface ofthe clamping jaw 11 whereby the clamping member 31 may be moved to atilted position and out of engagement with the clamping jaw 10*. That isto say, the clamping jaws 10 and 11 are identical in construction to theclamping jaws 10 and 11 and the U-shaped clamping members 18* and 31 areidentical in construction to the members 18 and 31, with the exceptionthat the leg portions 17 and 29 may be of a shorter length or a longerthreaded portion may be provided on the leg portions 17 and 29 wherebythe retaining nuts 21 and 34 may be moved inwardly a suflicient distanceto clamp a conductor 14 between the clamping jaws 10 and 11, as shown inFIG. 6.

The operation of the clamping device shown in FIG. 6 is very similar tothe operation of the clamping device shown in FIGS. 1-5, the principaldifference being that the intermediate clamping jaw 37 is eliminated. Toinsert the conductor 14 into the clamping device, the nut 34 is loosenedwhereby the base portion 32 of the U-shaped clamping member 31 is freeto move out of engagement with the adjacent side of the clamping jaw 10.The clamping member 31 is thus adapted to move to the tilted positionand out of engagement with the clamping jaw 10* whereby the conductor 14may be easily inserted or removed from the clamping device.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised an improvedclamping device for connecting to an electrical conductor. By providinga clamping device having one clamping member which is adapted to moveout of engagement with at least one of the clamping jaws, the electricalconductor may be readily inserted in the clamp or removed therefromwithout having to cut the electrical conductor. Also, by providing acomposite clamping device in which the component parts thereof areattached to each other, even when in the disassembled position, there isno danger of loosening the parts of the clamp prior to or while theclamping device is being attached to the conductors.

While I have shown my invention in two forms, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible ofvarious other changes and modifications without departing from thespirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations beplaced thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a clamping device for connecting to an electrical conductor, -afirst clamping jaw having at least one groove on the inner side thereoffor receiving a conductor, a second clamping jaw having at least onegroove on the inner side thereof for receiving a conductor, there beinga first pair of spaced apart openings through said first clamping jawand disposed to lie along one side of the conductor positioned adjacentsaid first clamping jaw, there being a second pair of spaced apartopenings through said first clamping jaw and disposed to lie along theother side of said conductor positioned adjacent said first clampingjaw, a first U-shaped clamping member having a base portion pivotallyconnected to one side of said second clamping jaw whereby said secondclamping jaw is adapted for pivotal movement relative to said firstU-shaped clamping member with the legs of said first U-shaped clampingmember extending through said first pair of openings in said firstclamping jaw whereby lateral movement of the legs of said first U-shapedclamping member [relative to said first clamping jaw is limited, asecond U-shaped clamping member having a base portion disposed to engagea portion of said second clamping jaw at the opposite side thereof fromsaid first U-shaped clamping member with the legs of said secondU-shaped clamping member extending through said second pair of openingsin the first clamping jaw whereby lateral movement of the legs of saidsecond U-shaped clamping member relative to said first clamping jaw islimited, the outer sides of said second pair of openings through thefirst clamping jaw being flared toward the inner surface of said firstclamping jaw whereby the base portion of said second U-shaped clampingmember is adapted to move out of engagement with said second clampingjaw while the legs of said second U-shaped clamping member are extendingthrough said second pair of openings in said first clamping jaw, andretaining means for the end portions of the legs of said U-shapedclamping members disposed to urge the base portions of the U-shapedclamping members into engagement with said second clamping jaw.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which the base portion of eachU-shaped clamping member is resilient and the inner surface of said baseportion of the U- shaped clamping members and the adjacent surface ofthe adjacent clamping jaw are out of parallel alignment with each otherwhereby said base portion is deflected from its original position upontightening said retaining means.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 in which the first and secondclamping jaws are separated by a third clamping jaw having conductorreceiving grooves in opposite sides thereof whereby a conductor isadapted to be clamping between said first damping jaw and said thirdclamping jaw and a second conductor is adapted to be clamping betweensaid first clamping jaw and said third third clamping jaw.

4. The structure as defined in claim 3 in which loopl-ike members areprovided at one side of said third clamping jaw in position to encirclethe leg portions of said first U-shaped clamping member, whereby saidthird clamping jaw is attached to said first U-shaped clamping member.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4 in which detents are provided onsaid tnird clamping jaw at the side thereof opposite said loop-likemembers in position to engage the sides of said second U-shaped clampingmember.

6. In a clamping device for connecting to an electrical conductor, afirst clamping jaw having at least one groove on the inner side thereoffor receiving a conductor, a second clamping jaw having at least onegroove on the inner side thereof for receiving a conductor, there beinga first pair of spaced apart openings through said first clamping jawand disposed to lie along one side of the conductor positioned adjacentsaid first clamping jaw, there being a second pair of spaced apartopenings through said first clamping jaw and disposed to lie along theother side of said conductor positioned adjacent said first clampingjaw, a first U-shaped clamping member having a base portion and legswhich extend through said first pair of openings through the firstclamping jaw whereby lateral movement of the legs of said first U-shaped clamping member relative to said first clamping jaw is limited, ahinge member carried by one side of said second clamping jaw anddisposed to at least partially surround the base portion of said firstU-shaped clamping member whereby said first U-shaped clamping member ispivotally connected to said second clamping jaw and said second clampingjaw is adapted for pivotal movement relative to said first Ushapedclamping member, a second U-shaped clamping member having a base portiondisposed to fit over a portion of said second clamping jaw at theopposite side thereof from said first U- shaped clamping member with thelegs of said second U-shaped clamping member extending through saidsecond pair of openings through the first clamping jaw whereby lateralmovement of the legs of said second U-shaped clamping member relative tosaid first clamping jaw is limited, the outer sides of said second pairof openings through the first clamping jaw being fiared toward the innersurface of said first clamping jaw, whereby the base portion of saidsecond U-shaped clamping member is adapted to move out of engagementwith said second clamping jaw While the legs of said second U- shapedclamping member are extending through said second pair of openings insaid first clamping jaw, and retaining means for the end portions of thelegs of said U- shaped clamping members disposed to urge the baseportions of the U-shaped clamping members into engagement with saidsecond clamping jaw.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,771,591 Vordtriede Nov. 20, 1956 2,948,878 Toedtman Aug. 9, 1960FOREIGN PATENTS 674,428 Germany Apr. 14, 1939 730,566 Germany Jan. 14,1943

